CAIRO, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, today received Eng. Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo, to discuss an initiative launched by the UAE to establish the "Arab Space Cooperation Group."

In a statement to reporters after the meeting, Al Ahbabi said that both sides discussed the initiative, which was launched earlier this year, due to its role in supporting and strengthening Arab cooperation in the space sector, noting that it currently involves 11 Arab countries and aims to integrate their relevant capabilities.

He added that many Arab countries have expressed their desire to participate in the group, as it will lead to the establishment of an Arab space bloc that will serve the wider region, create solutions to regional challenges, and provide opportunities for the Arab youth in the space sector.

He also praised the UAE's initiative known as "813,"which aims to fund a satellite to serve the Arab region, which is in dire need of space services to counter desertification and other environmental issues and keep pace with international developments in space exploration.